County expected to save $25,000 from recycling swap

County recycling bins at Prairie Solid Waste.

With the first year halfway through since the recycling bin site’s swap, Union County can now recognize a projected savings the swap will produce for the county.

Previously, Union County ran two recycling sites in Creston and Afton. Individuals from across Union County could dump their excess recycling at these sites. The total cost of running two recycling sites was projected in 2025 to be around $37,000.

This cost is a contracted value the county made through Waste Management, who processes these recycling sites as well as commercial bins owned by local businesses. As a cost-saving measure, the Union County board of supervisors approved consolidating the two sites to one in 2025, located at Prairie Solid Waste.

With six months into the year and swap, the board of supervisors reported the annual cost is projected to be about $12,000, saving $25,000 in 2025 for the county.

Supervisor Dennis Hopkins gave his own estimate of savings between $20,000 and $25,000. Other supervisors noted how some frustration has come from the move, but it was the best for taxpayers across the county.

In other Union County news...

Union County continued their review of county ordinances during Wednesday’s meeting. The board reviewed ordinances 30-36.

These ordinances include the board of health rules and regulations, clean ground-water supply, waste water treatment, transfer of water treatment to Creston, abandoned wells and illegal dumping. An ordinance on tanning facilities was skipped due to its recent addition to county code.

Additional approval will come from county departments for review and changes. The board of health, for example, will also review the board of health rules and regulations ordinance.

During the next review, the county will look at ordinances 38-43, which covers regulations around quarantine and isolation, flood plains, three-mile reservoir restricted uses, keg beer sales, drug paraphernalia and pseudoephedrine sales.

Most changes to these ordinances will apply updated versions of Iowa Code. Once the review of all ordinances are complete, a public hearing will take place covering all changes which will be made to the ordinances.

Nick Pauly

News Reporter for the Creston News Advertiser. Having seen all over the state of Iowa, Nick Pauly was born and raised in the Hawkeye State, and graduated a Hawkeye at the University of Iowa. With the latest stop in Creston, Nick continues showing his passion for storytelling.